Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)
Written by: José Andrés | Published on:
Courtesy of Joan Pujol-Creus
I’ll tell you a story—this is one of the tapas that actually helped launch my career. I was a very young chef working at a restaurant in Roses, on the Costa Brava of Catalunya. One summer night, very late, a customer came in and tasted my gambas al ajillo, and asked me to come work with him. That customer was Ferran Adrià, the chef of one of the most incredible restaurants of all time, elBulli, where I found my voice and learned so much. And I owe it all to these garlic shrimp! To me, it’s an amazing tapa because it is so simple and fast and the reward is so great. You have these sweet, juicy shrimp swimming in a hot, garlicky sauce made with
extra virgin olive oil and Spanish brandy. Be sure you have some bread on hand to soak up all that sauce.
Ingredients
1 pound shell-on shrimp
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 dried mild red chile peppers, such as chile de árbol
kosher salt
1½ tablespoons brandy or sherry, preferably Oloroso (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Directions
1. Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp and reserve for stock. Pat shrimp dry with paper towel.
2. Heat the oil in a 10-inch terra-cotta casserole (cazuela) or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic begins to turn golden on the edges, about 1 minute. Add the chile pepper and cook for 1 more minute. The garlic should be dancing in the oil.
3. Lay the shrimp in the pan in one layer and cook for 2 minutes, then turn them over and cook for 1 more minute. Season to taste with salt.
4. If the garlic starts to brown too quickly while the shrimp are cooking, add the brandy at the edge of the pan to slow down the cooking. Let it simmer for a few seconds, then gently shake the pan to mix the brandy into the oil. Cook for 15 more seconds and remove from the heat.
5. Garnish with parsley and serve with bread to soak up all the garlicky sauce.
From Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard by José Andrés with Sam Chapple-Sokol. Copyright © 2026 by José Andrés. Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Originally featured in Chef José Andrés on the Art of Tapas—Plus 3 Classic Recipes to Try Tonight
Ingredients
1 pound shell-on shrimp
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 dried mild red chile peppers, such as chile de árbol
kosher salt
1½ tablespoons brandy or sherry, preferably Oloroso (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley